Dozens of whales dead off New Zealand beach

A mass-stranding of whales on a New Zealand beach has left 36 of the mammals dead.

John Mason, area manager of the country’s Department of Conservation said 99 pilot whales stranded themselves Monday on Farewell Spit on the South Island. By Tuesday, 36 whales had died and another 40 remained stranded and were in danger.

Mason said conservation staff and volunteers had successfully refloated 17 whales, which had swum out to deeper water. Another six whales remained unaccounted for.